It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie: standing atop a giant space rock, riding it across the solar system like a cosmic cowboy. But is this just fantasy—or could a human actually ride an asteroid?
The answer: yes… in theory. But it’s not quite what you think.
First, What Is an Asteroid?
Asteroids are rocky bodies, usually irregular in shape, that orbit the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but some come much closer to Earth. They range in size from tiny pebbles to objects hundreds of kilometers wide.
So if you landed on one, what would it be like?
The Experience: Strange, Silent, and Weightless
Let’s say you picked a large asteroid, like Eros or Bennu, and managed to land on its surface in a pressurized spacesuit.
Here’s what you’d face:
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Almost no gravity
You wouldn’t walk—you’d float. Jump too hard, and you might launch yourself into space. -
No atmosphere
No air, no sound. The silence would be total. The sky: pitch black, even in full sunlight. -
Wild temperatures
In sunlight: over 100°C (212°F). In shadow: −100°C (−150°F) or colder. Your suit would need serious insulation. -
A slow ride
Asteroids don’t zip through space like comets in cartoons. Most orbit at tens of thousands of kilometers per hour, but you wouldn’t feel it. There’s no wind or vibration—just motion through the void.
Could You Actually Ride One Somewhere?
In a loose sense, yes. Space agencies like NASA have even studied using asteroids for:
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Shelter from radiation on deep-space missions
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Resource mining (for metals or water ice)
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Gravitational assists or fuel-saving maneuvers
But they’re not steerable. You can’t «pilot» an asteroid. You’re just a passenger, stuck on its orbital path.
And if you’re hoping to lasso one like in the movies? Keep dreaming. Most are irregular, rotating unpredictably, and moving fast—catching one is a major engineering feat.
Could It Be Useful?
Absolutely. Future missions may land humans on asteroids to study early solar system material or extract resources. A human presence on an asteroid might even help with planetary defense—deflecting objects that pose a threat to Earth.
So yes, you could technically ride an asteroid.
But it wouldn’t feel like a wild chase.
It would feel like standing still… while moving 100,000 kilometers per hour through nothing.
